El Paso nearly completes planning for trolleys

Trolley cars sit in a desert area on El Paso International Airport property. Officials say the city of El Paso has spent $4.5 million in order to present plans for Downtown trolleys when funds become available.

The city of El Paso has almost completed its part of the bargain to bring back the trolley streetcars to Downtown; now it's the state's move.

The city has spent more than $4.5 million on designing the trolley system, planning the routes, figuring out the cost of refurbishing the streetcars and doing an environmental study on the area.

Officials are not worried that the proposed trolley system has not received funding from the Texas Department of Transportation, said Deputy City Manager Jane Shang.

In order to apply for money from TXDOT's Texas Transportation Commission, the city must have plans and designs ready, Shang said. It is a regular part of the process she said.

"Usually, money is available on a short-term notice," Shang said. "If cities want the money, they have to do the prep work to position themselves to get in the queue."

The "prep work" is about 90 to 95 percent done, Shang said.

"If there is an opportunity for funding, for example, the $90 million in funds, we would have to present plans," Shang said. "Usually the communities that have those plans ready are the ones that get the money."

Last year, city officials said commission Chairman Ted Houghton committed to give $90 million for the trolleys to El Paso after it performed a preliminary study and applied for the money.

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Houghton could not be reached for comment, but a spokeswoman for TxDOT said the commission has taken no action to approve or deny a trolley system in El Paso.

Shang said the completed study is valid for more than two years.

"There has not been a specific date set to receive the money," Shang said. "But we believe it should be soon."

The city first must approve applying for the funds and later approve accepting that money from the Texas Transportation Commission.

Aaron Bracamontes may be reached at abracamontes@elpasotimes.com; 546-6156.